


The Spirit Forged

by Captain_Azoren



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Animal Transformation, Spirits, Supernatural Elements, Werecats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24140515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Azoren/pseuds/Captain_Azoren
Summary: Varrick discovers a new life form in the wilderness, half-man, half-spirit, all animal. His name, Raiger. Korra and the others try to help him rediscover his past and find his place in an ever changing world, but his existence has significant implications, blurring the line between the spirits and humanity that could change their fates forever.
Kudos: 3





	1. Subject: Raiga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varrick's observations on his newest test subject, a young man with fangs, claws, and an insatiable appetite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this story in mind for quite some time now. This is just a brief test scene, acting as a sort of prologue to quickly introduce my main protagonist. I won't be coming back to this story until I'm finished with the current arc of my ongoing story, but I thought I should get something of it posted in the meantime. I still have to research some of the Korra comics to see what the current status quo is.

"Is this thing recording?" Varrick said as he focused the lens of the camera. "Testing, one two. Okay!" He pointed the camera at a massive cube-like object covered by a white sheet, then stepped into frame. "Entry log one; while filming my latest mover, _Ginger: Warrior Princess,_ my crew discovered a strange creature, half man, half beast. Behold!"

Varrick pulled the sheet from the cube, revealing a large metal cage. Inside, resting on a messy pile of hay, was the subject, dressed in a simple fur loincloth, snoring loudly and blissfully unaware of the observation as he slept. The subject idly scratched his stomach and smacked his lips as the scientist zoomed the camera in on him and refocused.

"As you can see, the subject has the basic anatomy of a human, but very _feline_ traits," Varrick continued. "Prominent fangs, pointed ears, _claws_ on his hands and feet, as well as a very fine layer of short fur on his limbs and back." He focused on the wild, unruly mop of thick hair on the subject's head.

"His hair's golden too, and that is _not_ dyed, I can tell you that." The camera panned back down to the subject's face as a line of drool dripped from his lip. "The subject also displays red, jagged facial markings, going from the eyes down the cheeks. Maybe they're for camouflage? Maybe they're for better vision in intense light? Need to test that."

The subject's brow furrowed, and he gave a big yawn that showed off his long, white fangs. He sat up and scratched one side of his short, golden beard. The subject opened his eyes, each electric blue with vertical slits, and blearily glanced around the lab.

"Oh, he's awake, good," Varrick said before ducking out of frame. A thick, red steak dripping with juices came into the camera frame, hanging from a metal hook at the end of a long pole. The subject's eyes lit up and he took a long sniff. "Feeding time, beast man."

Varrick brought the steak closer to the cage. The subject's lean, muscular body tensed as he crouched down and watched with anticipation, pupils growing wide. Once the meat was hardly half a meter away, the subject dashed forward. His pale claws flashed and slipped through the metal bars to snatch the steak, ripping it off the hook as he yanked it in. The subject bit into the meat and ripped off a large chunk, throwing his head back to get it into his mouth before chewing fervently. The subject let out a feral growl as he began to feast, his lips and cheeks quickly becoming stained a light red.

"Subject can eat at least three of these steaks in one go," Varrick spoke as he walked back into frame. "And let me tell you, it is not cheap. He probably burns through several times the number of calories as compared to an average human." The subject let out a loud belch as he finished the last scrap of meat.

"I'll put him through some exercises to see what he's capable of," Varrick continued, his attention on the camera and not on the subject. "How strong he is, how smart he is, _if he can be taught to speak human language,"_ Unbeknownst to Varrick, the subject had stood up and walked over to the cage bars, examining them curiously.

"As to his origin, I have a hypothesis; this is the result of a spirit merging with a human!" Varrick grinned excitedly while the subject gripped two of the bars and began to pull. "Cases have been recorded of spirits passing through humans and _changing them._ I believe what we have here is the same concept taken one step further, a total, permanent fusion between a spiritual being and a human.

We know the legend of Yue and the Moon spirit, and how Avatar Aang merged with the Ocean spirit at the Battle of the North. I think this is similar to those…" The was a loud squeal of bending metal, and when Varrick turned around, the subject was stepping out from between the bars he had pulled apart. "…. Not to self, get a stronger cage." Varrick said before grabbing the meat hook and advancing on the subject slowly. "Okay fella, take it nice and easy… I'll give you another steak if you go back in…"

The subject looked around the lab, barely heeding Varrick, before leaping past the camera. Varrick yelped and fell backward, knocking the camera down. The lens cracked, and from the floor, the camera could see the test subject bounding out the door. A shriek from outside was heard, followed by the sound of wood splintering and glass shattering. Varrick crawled back into frame.

"Side note, subject is _very_ curious." The scientist stood up and ran out the door. "Somebody, write that down!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got some sketches of Raiga up on my tumblr, captain-azoren. They aren't great, but they should give you an idea of what he's supposed to look like in better detail.
> 
> Let me know if this is something you'd be interested in reading. I've got a lot of ideas for how to expand on the lore of Avatar and Korra involving the spirits.
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments. Check out my Tumblr at captain-azoren.tumblr.com for oneshots, analysis, and other Azoren stuff if you're interested.


	2. Wild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two days prior, Varrick goes into the wilderness to shoot his next mover, Ginger: Warrior Princess, but a couple of unexpected visitors crash the set, and they make one of the biggest discoveries of their lives.

_Two days ago, outside Republic City…_

“Can we hurry this up?” Ginger asked impatiently as she tapped her foot on the ground, arms crossed over her chest. It was bad enough that they were filming out in the woods, surrounded by massive trees instead of brick walls, but she had been forced to wake up before the crack of dawn after sleeping in a cramped trailer all night, with nothing but sweaty, uncouth crewmembers for company.

“Not until the lighting is juuuuust right,” Varrick replied as he scrutinized the morning sun coming through the trees. “You, grippy guy! Reflect that ray right over on Ginger’s upper shoulder!” One of the grips in the mover crew nodded to Varrick and picked up a reflective board from the equipment box. He positioned himself and reflected a bit of the sun at Ginger. The actress flinched when the light hit her eyes before it moved down.

“This would have been easier if we just shot in the studio…” Ginger grumbled as she adjusted her seal-skin skirt and top. “We wouldn’t have to worry about the mosquitoes. Uhg…”

“Ginger, audiences demand authenticity,” Varrick replied. “Studio props can’t beat the great outdoors. Besides, it wouldn’t be much of a docu-mover if we just made things up.”

“Since when is this a docu-mover? I thought this was my big solo debut?!” Ginger was incredulous. This was supposed to be her next big hit, not another one of Varrick’s weird projects. She would have never worked with him if the eccentric businessman wasn’t the only mover director in the world right now.

“It _is_ Ginger baby!” Varrick replied sweetly as he adjusted his camera lens. “ _Ginger: Warrior Princess_ is gonna be a trend setter! Following the heroine’s exploits as she travels the globe piecing together the lost treasures of Wan Shi Tong, Ginger dares the treacherous hazards of the natural world!” The director waved his arms in the air and grinned. “Marauding bandits and dangerous beasts! The crowds’ll eat it up.”

Ginger sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. The Nuktuk movers had been a big hit, but Varrick’s legal trouble and all of the chaos that had gone down in recent years had put that series on hiatus. It stifled Ginger’s acting career, forcing her to go back to modeling for a time.

Then, Varrick came to Ginger offering a leading part in a new project he was working on. Bolin had quit acting, so there was no more using the Nuktuk character. This new mover would be her big comeback, or at least that was what Varrick told her. The actress _thought_ she would finally get to star in a romantic drama, like the plays she had once acted in, but instead she was back in her old tribal costume, deep between the steep mountains outside Republic City in another schlocky adventure flick.

“Varrick, just…what’s the scene, what’s my motivation?” Ginger asked, resigned to her fate.

“Alright, you’ve just started on your journey, you’re walking through the forest,” Varrick said as he flipped through the script. “When suddenly, a big, scary monster leaps out from trees, making you scream in fright!”

“How original,” Ginger sighed and got into position. “Thought I was a _Warrior Princess,_ not a damsel for the dozenth time…”

“It’s your origin story baby! Alright, places everybody!” Varrick shouted, and the crew all got ready to act. Varrick took his seat in the director’s chair. “Roll sound.”

“Sound speed.” Said the crewmember with the large boom mic.

“Roll camera!”

“Camera speed.” Said the cameraman as he peered through it at Ginger.

“Slate!”

“Roll A, scene one, take one.” The camera assistant held the slate out in front of the camera and clapped it shut. He pulled it away and the cameraman focused the lens.

“Hold for sharp… got sharp.” The cameraman said.

“Everybody settle in… quiet on set!” Varrick shouted through his megaphone. “Aaaaand… action!”

“Oh, I’m lost and all alone in this rugged wilderness,” Ginger recited her line. “Without Nuktuk, what ever shall I do?” She placed a hand to her forehead for dramatic effect. “I must learn to survive on my own.”

“Real good Ginger,” Varrick said. “Now, you hear a rustling, look to the trees, you’re surprised!” Ginger did so, her eyes widening. “It’s a hairy, toothy beast! Now scream!”

“Aaaaaaaah!” Ginger wailed, shaking her body and holding her hands up. Varrick frowned and shook his head.

“No, no, you’re acting like you saw an elephant rat,” Varrick chided. “You can do better. Again.”

“ _Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!_ ” Ginger wailed louder, leaning back further and opening her mouth up wider. Still, Varrick was unsatisfied.

“Now you just sound like Zhu Li when she saw what I did to the kitchen,” Varrick said. “You’re not acting hard enough. I need a scream! give it your all!”

Ginger huffed in frustration. She was really not in the mood today, but she still took _some_ pride in being an actress, so she’d give it one more shot. Ginger inhaled as much air as she could, and she braced her vocal cords. As she prepared to exhale however, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something parting the undergrowth. Something big, grey, and shaggy, with long pointy horns and equally long, sharp tusks. It had massive arms and shoulders, and big yellow eyes with horizontal pupils. It was a wild gorilla-goat, and it turned its huge head to look right at her.

“ ** _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!_** ” Ginger shrieked in terror, her scream resonating through the trees and valley.

“Whoa nelly, that nearly burst my eardrums,” Varrick said as he wiggled his pinky finger in his ear. The next thing he heard was a reverberating roar, then the thundering approach of hooves and fists, followed by the mover crew yelling and running in fright. Varrick turned to see the gorilla-goat stampeding through the lightning fixtures and overturning the crafts service table, flinging food all over the ground. “Hey, I said it was supposed to be a boar-q-pine, not a gorilla-goat!”

“Varrick, that’s a real wild animal!” Ginger yelled hysterically at the dense businessman. “Security!”

“Oh, then get the tranq darts!” Varrick shouted, but none of the crew were listening, focused more on fleeing to safety as the gorilla-goat flipped over the nearest truck, grunting as it violently as it bashed in the side door. Varrick threw up his hands in frustration. “Guess I gotta do it myself. Ginger, hang tight while I get the thing.”

“Are you _crazy?!_ ” Ginger shrilled while Varrick nonchalantly walked to his trailer. A group of three benders that Varrick hired for protection ran into the chaos, each wielding their element to try and scare off or subdue the beast. Despite their bravery, none of them were suited for handling wild animals. They were more used to dealing with unruly fans or the occasional cactus-juicer.

The waterbender tried to whip the goat-gorilla while the earthbender attempted to create stone walls around it, but the beast was only annoyed as it easily climbed over the walls and jumped at them. The two benders shouted in fright before the animal swiped at them with its massive forearms, sending them flying into the tree trunks and knocking them out cold.

It was then that the firebender stepped forward, shooting a blast of fire in front of the goat-gorilla. That caused the animal to holler in fright and anger. Most beasts had an instinctual fear of the element for good reason. Rather than being scared off though, the goat-gorilla picked up an unearthed stone and tossed it at the firebender. The poor man was hit in the stomach and fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

With the security incapacitated, the goat-gorilla turned its attention to Ginger. The actress was stricken with panic, her legs turning to jelly as the beast approached. She began to slowly back away, only to stumble over a thick tree branch, falling on her butt. Ginger grabbed the branch and brandished it.

“S-Stay back,” She said, though her voice betrayed her fright. “Don’t you come any closer, I’m warning you!”

The gorilla-goat snorted and growled in response at the display. These humans were invading its territory. It had taken Ginger’s screech as a challenge, and it was not about to back down. The gorilla goat grunted and charged at Ginger horns first. She screamed and shut her eyes as she held up the tree branch, bracing herself for the worst.

There was the sound of a loud thud, then a scraping of dirt, and more low growling. Ginger was unharmed and untouched. The actress opened one eye to peer at what had happened, then gasped at the sight she saw. Before her was a half-naked young man in a fur loin-cloth, his arms and back covered in tawny stripes, with a mess of shaggy, golden hair. His clawed hands were grasped around each of the goat-gorilla’s horns, his lean, chiseled muscles bulging as he held the animal at bay.

With a snarl, the young man turned his body and cranked the gorilla-goat’s head to the side, causing the creature’s whole body to roll over onto its back. The gorilla-goat righted itself up, bellowing and beating its chest at its new challenger, but the striped man hissed back, baring his sharp fangs which made him look even fiercer.

Ginger scooted back to the tree-line as she watched the two of them face off. The savage man hunched low, claws out. He was unlike anything Ginger had ever seen before, half-man, half-beast. The gorilla goat puffed and snorted before charging forward. The wild-man was ready though. He jumped and landed on the goat-gorilla’s back, latching on with the claws on his hands and feet. The goat-gorilla tried to pull him off, but could not reach. The wild-man scratched at the creature’s back wildly, fur and hair flying everywhere.

The gorilla-goat backed up to a thick tree trunk and tried to bash the man against it, but he flipped over the beast just before impact. The gorilla-goat shook itself, momentarily stunned, but this gave the wild-man just enough time to grab it by the arm and, with a mighty heave, flip the animal over and slamming it into the ground with enough force to shake the earth. Ginger blinked in amazement as the wild-man roared down at the gorilla-goat, establishing his dominance. The animal got up and whimpered, dashing off into the forest defeated.

All was quiet once more now, and the mover crew began to crawl out from their hiding places to stare at the man-beast. He turned to look at Ginger, and the actress’s heart thudded in her chest. He crept up to her, his eyes fixated on her red hair, colored by Varri-dye. She began to panic once again, breathing hard as he came closer. Ginger worried that she was in even more danger now.

The door of the nearby trailer was flung open, and Varrick stepped out, loading a tranquilizer dart into a rifle. “It was under my bed the whole time! Now, where’s that gorilla-goat?” He looked over to see the wild-man looming over Ginger, with the camera pointed right at them. “…okay, what did I miss, and did you get it on film?”

The wild-man turned and snarled at Varrick, and Ginger gave a high-pitched squeal as he picked her off the ground in both arms and leapt high into the treetops. He landed on a sturdy branch, and proceeded to jump from one branch to another deeper into the woods, leaving Varrick and the rest of the mover crew in a stunned silence.

The director calmly walked over to the camera, saw that it was still recording, and gave a sigh of relief. He had been reading news reports about sightings of some strange creature in the area, which he had neglected to tell his crew. Some of the locals claimed it was a spirit that had come through the portal in the city to devour lost souls. Varrick had been hoping to get footage of it while he filmed his new mover, hence why he chose the location and hired some extra security. It seemed that his hunch had paid off.

“Sound guy, on me!” Varrick ordered. The crew member picked up his boom mic and pointed it at the director as he stood in front of the camera, rifle in hand. “Gentlemen, our leading actress Ginger has just been abducted by a man-beast! We need to form up, track her down, and capture this monster! Now get that truck back on its wheels, follow me, and keep the camera rolling!”

Varrick motioned for them to follow, and the crew obeyed. The security staff was helped to their feet, and the earthbender who had been knocked out flipped the equipment truck back over. They all hopped in, started the engine, and drove just behind their fearless director as they began their trek through the mountains to rescue their kidnapped actress.

* * *

Ginger whimpered with every branch that they landed on. She looked down to see they were a dozen meters off the ground, and a fall from that height would be career ending at the least. Trying to struggle free was a bad idea, even disregarding the immense strength of the man-beast.

The actress took a glance at her captor. His expression was hard and stoic under his thick facial hair and the jagged, rusty colored markings that ran from his eyes down his cheeks like thunderbolts. He had sharp features with intense, electric blue eyes, his pupils slit like a feline’s. Upon closer inspection, Ginger realized that he had a very fine, thin layer of fur covering the outer sides of his upper arms and shoulders, and most likely his back. Ginger had no doubt he was, indeed, not human, at least not entirely.

The sound of running water caught Ginger’s attention, and she turned to see a small waterfall pouring down the side of a cliff and into a large pond. The pond flowed out into a stream going into the forest. Behind the waterfall was the opening of a large cave with moss growing on the stones outside it.

The wild-man dropped down from the trees, and Ginger clung tightly out of fear and instinct. The actress was surprised however at how softly they landed, the wild-man shifting his weight as his feet hit the ground in such a way that mitigated any shock.

He carried her past the waterfall and into the cave where a crude bed made of leaves and grass was laid out on the floor. The wild-man gently placed Ginger down upon it and took a step back, crouching down and staring at her intensely. She met his gaze nervously. He was so human, yet inhuman at the same time.

Ginger could not keep eye contact with him for long, and looked around the rest of the cave. There was little else that was man-made besides a pile of stones and some drawings painted on the walls. They were of animals, like deer and flying bison, but one stood out, a painting of a big cat with stripes and a large mane of fur. Ginger thought little of the drawings though. Off to the side was a pile of bones, stripped completely clean of meat, and _that_ filled Ginger with dread.

The actress was startled when the wild-man grunted at her. He crept toward Ginger once more, and she shrank back. She was not a bender, not even a fighter and ould barely qualify as an athlete, leaving her at this creature’s mercy. She silently cursed Varrick for putting her in this situation. Ginger did not want a life of danger, she just wanted to live nice and comfortably. This was decidedly _not_ how she wanted to die.

The wild-man reached out for Ginger, his pale claws sharp and gleaming on each fingertip. She flinched, but he merely ran one claw through her wavy red hair, feeling it on his fingertip. A low, curious trill came from his throat, and he leaned his body forward to sniff her dyed tresses.

“H-Hey, personal space _please!_ ” Ginger said as she pulled away. The wild-man frowned, and she immediately feared her little outburst angered him, but instead he let out a soft whine. Ginger raised an eyebrow as he leaned away from her, his expression seeming almost disappointed. “Just, what are you anyway?”

The wild-man tilted his head questioningly, as if he understood her words, but not the question. He looked away a moment and scratched his head, like he was asking himself the same thing. The man-beast looked back to Ginger in confusion and pointed to his chest

“Rrr…rraigrr.” He growled, though he seemed unsure himself. He pointed next to the bright golden mass of shaggy hair on his head, then to Ginger’s hair and growled. “RRRaiga?”

“Huh? No, Ginger.” The actress replied with a shake of her head that made her hair sway. She pointed to her own head. “ _Gin_ -ger! So, Raiga’s your name?”

The man-beast gave a small shrug and a grunt of acknowledgment. Ginger was beginning to realize that he, Raiga, was fascinated by her hair. Anyone living in Republic City knew it was only hair dye, but to an uncivilized animal like him it probably made her seem otherworldly. Or maybe he thought it meant she was like him.

Ginger frowned, repulsed by the thought. She had done her best to avoid getting tangled up in all the strange things that had happened in the city. It was one reason why she dropped her relationship with Bolin; he was too chummy with Avatar Korra and Ginger did not want to get roped into some outlandish adventure. She kicked herself for thinking that Varrick’s project would be a safe bet.

Raiga’s head suddenly perked, and he stood to his full height. He was not the tallest, but definitely taller than the average man in the Republic. It was now that Ginger finally got a good look at another one of this wild-man’s features, one that she almost could not believe she had seen earlier. Her eyes widened with shock as they moved down to Raiga’s lower body. Poking out from his loincloth, dangling between his legs, was a long… twitching… sinewy… _tail._ It had tawny stripes like the ones on his upper-body and ended in a golden tuft of fur. Ginger blinked at it as Raiga turned away. He swished his tail before bounding out of the cave and back into the forest.

Ginger sat silently on the bed of leaves and grass, waiting for something to happen. The man-beast had kidnapped her, and now he was just leaving her? Was this a trick? Whether it was or not, it was the best time for Ginger to escape. The cave was musty and smelled of dead animals, and she just wanted to get back home to her lavish apartment with her big cushy bed and porcelain bathtub.

The actress slowly got to her feet and crept toward the mouth of the cave, her seal skin footwear doing little to protect her feet from the hard cave floor. She peered out cautiously past the waterfall and examined the path going downhill from the cave and into the forest. She turned to look at the pond and the stream. Ginger would follow the water back to civilization, just like she learned when she was little. If she ran into Varrick on the way, she would be sure to give him a good slap for the trouble.

Ginger took one last look around to make sure the coast was clear, then made her way down the hill, taking care not to slip. Once she was on even ground, Ginger bolted, her slender legs carrying her as fast as they could along the stream’s bank. She was thankful for all the jogging she did to keep her figure, but her self-congratulations were cut short when the man-beast landed in front of her with a loud thud.

Ginger yelped and tripped out of surprise, landing on her arms, her delicate hands and elbows scraping the coarse sand of the bank. She looked up and gasped when she saw Raiga standing above her, carrying a freshly killed boar by the neck in his jaws. The actress frantically tried to crawl away as Raiga dropped the quarry and rushed over to her.

“Jinjrrr!” Raiga whimpered as he put his hands on her shoulders and attempted to pull her up.

“No, let go of me!” Ginger cried out as she thrashed against the wild-man. “I don’t want to get eaten by a cannibal!” She pelted his chest with her small fists, but they had little effect other than causing Raiga to whine. It took Ginger a moment to realize that he was not trying to ravage her, doing little more than holding her upper body up. She quickly tired herself out and looked up at Raiga to see him give her an almost pleading expression. Ginger felt her heart soften just a little as they locked eyes. Whoever or whatever this creature was, he had no intention of physically harming Ginger. He seemed more concerned with preventing harm coming to her.

The moment was cut short when a dart with a bright pink fletching lodged itself into Raiga’s neck. He snarled as he turned, but was met with another dart to his shoulder. Ginger looked to see Varrick standing at the edge of the forest, aiming his tranq rifle with his cameraman and sound guy recording behind him.

Raiga growled, but he quickly succumbed to the darts’ paralyzing and sleep-inducing effects. Raiga groaned, shaking his head drowsily before flopping over onto Ginger. She grunted as his shaggy head landed on her soft lap, looking down at hm with irritation.

“Got’em!” Varrick said with a large grin as the rest of his mover crew caught up behind him. Ginger grumbled as she shoved Raiga off. The wild-man was already drooling and snoring loudly. “Ginger, you all in one piece? Did he bite you?”

“No, I’m fine Varrick,” Ginger said as she stood and dusted herself off. “But when we get back, we’re renegotiating my pay.”

“Good, I’d hate to have to look for a replacement.” Varrick replied as he and the crew walked on over. They surrounded the sleeping Raiga, staring in wonder. “Lady and gents, we’ve stumbled on something _big.”_ Varrick turned to his screw. “He’ll be out for hours. Get the ropes and load him on the truck. _”_

“By the spirits, what is he?” Asked the cameraman as he recorded the scene.

“His name is… Raiga.” Ginger said softly as she stared at his unconscious form.

“ _Raiga…_ what a name!” Varrick cheered. “Give me a month, and I’ll have it up in lights! Raiga, the Beast-Man of the Mountain!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here is the real start of the story. I'll say up front that this opening arc is largely inspired by old pulpy adventure stories, specifically both King Kong and Tarzan. Think of Varrick as like Carl Denham and Ginger being the Ann Darrow/Jane of the story. The time period just works with that kind of tone. There will be even more parallels in the coming chapter, but the tone will change a bit past this arc, as Raiga will too. Korra will be introduced into the story eventually as well, so this won't only be starring side characters and OCs. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it, as I have a lot more big ideas in mind.
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments. Check out my Tumblr at captain-azoren.tumblr.com for oneshots, analysis, and other Azoren stuff if you're interested.


	3. Tame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varrick tests Raiga's abilities, and starts to civilize him with the help of Ginger.

Raiga paced back and forth in front of the steel bars, reinforced since his escape the other day. The staff had managed to tranquilize him again, but not before he had gotten a better look at where he was. Raiga was being held at Varrick's lab on the outskirts of Republic City, away from the prying eyes of the public. It was a large facility where Varrick Global Industries conducted its research and development projects. This was the place where many scientific breakthroughs had been discovered in the last decade. Varrick wanted to keep his new discovery a secret until he was ready for a big reveal.

Since Raiga's capture, Varrick has been testing and observing what he could do. Raiga had already proven strong enough to bend steel bars without too much effort, but Varrick needed to know more. To gather data, the scientist ran some experiments.

First, Varrick placed a steak inside a metal crate and covered it with a massive lead weight, over one-thousand kilos. Raiga smelled it, and heaved the weight aside as though he were moving an office desk.

Next, Varrick tested Raiga's speed, which in hindsight may not have been the safest experiment. He took the beast-man out into an empty airstrip that he owned. Varrick held a roasted turducken out the back of a jeep and began to drive off. His assistants opened Raiga's cage, much to their reluctance, and Raiga darted out after the meat. Raiga caught up with the jeep in a matter of seconds. Thankfully, they had brought plenty more meat to lead him back into his cage.

With those out of the way, Varrick was ready for the next stage of tests; intelligence. Varrick started simple, with some basic shape puzzles. Children's toys, really. He had gotten some for whenever he and Zhu Li decided they wanted a baby, but she said they weren't ready. Varrick figured he could put them to good use.

Raiga fit the square pegs into the square holes, no problem. He stacked the rings in order from largest to smallest. It seemed he was at least smarter than a wild animal. From there, Varrick tried harder puzzles, like a jigsaw puzzle, albeit one with large pieces. The beast-man was able to place the six pieces where they all belonged after a couple of minutes, and for each puzzle Raiga solved, he got a nice fat salmon-trout to snack on.

What really interested Varrick was Raiga's ability to speak. The beast-man had uttered a few simple words, like "yes," "no" and "meat". Varrick reentered the observation room, a box of flash-cards in one hand and a bucket of chick-bacon in the other. Raiga sniffed the air and his eyes lit up when he saw the food. Varrick sat down on a stool in front of the cage, and the beast-man sat down cross-legged.

"Alright Raiga, here's the deal," Varrick began. "I'll show you some pictures. Every time you say what's on the card, you get one of these," Varrick held up the chick-bacon bucket, Raiga's eyes following closely. There were steel bars between them, but Varrick learned quickly to stay more than arm's length away from the cage when there was food around. "Understand?"

Raiga nodded, and his eyes darted back to Varrick as he pulled out the first card. It had the picture of a tree.

"What's this?" The scientist asked.

"Rrr, trrreee?" Raiga said.

"Good!" Varrick tossed him a chick-bacon strip through the bars. Raiga caught the crispy meat in his mouth and chewed it up. "Now, this one?"

"Mmnn, apple!"

"Good, next!" Another strip and another card.

"Cl-c-cloud."

"You're on a roll, tomcat. This one?"

"Mmmountain."

"And this one?" Varrick held up a picture of a Satomobile. Raiga squinted at it, stumped. He growled as he scratched his head, trying to remember what it was called. Suddenly, the door opened, and Raiga turned his head to the sound.

"Gingerrr!"

"Huh? No, sa-to-mo-bile," Varrick said.

"Ahem." Came a voice. Varrick turned around to see his favorite mover star Ginger standing in the doorway, looking just as bemused as ever.

"Ginger, what are you doing here?" Varrick asked as he set the bucket down a little too close to the cage and stood up.

"I've been trying to reach you for over a week now," Ginger said in annoyance. "My agent finally found out where you were and… is that him?" The actress asked as she finally took note of Raiga. Varrick turned to see the cat-boy chowing down on the chick-bacon and making a mess.

"Oh yeah, I've been running some tests to see what he can do," Varrick replied with a grin. "I'm gonna teach him how to talk, maybe even sing."

"Whatever," Ginger sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Look, if we're not doing the mover anymore, would you just pay me for my time and end my contract? I have other projects I could be doing."

"No, no, _Ginger: Warrior Princess_ is still on, we've just had to do some rewrites to the script," Varrick responded and he gestured to the cage. "And we've given you a new co-star!" Ginger raised an eyebrow, then grimaced.

" _Him?!"_ Ginger asked. "He's an animal!"

"Animals can be actors, remember Pabu and Naga?" Varrick asked. "Look, I'm telling you, people are going to be fighting over tickets to the premiere of this mover, just to see _this_ guy! Oh, and you too, of course."

Ginger gave Varrick a skeptical glance. "No one else even knows about him though…"

"Oh, they will," Varrick said as he went to sit back down. "The whole world will know when I give him his big debut, but first, I've got to civilize him." The scientist shuffled his flash cards as Raiga finished the chick-bacon.

The cat-boy looked to Ginger curiously, and they locked eyes for a moment. He seemed so unearthly to the actress and so savage, but she did not feel as afraid as she did in their first encounter. Maybe it was just the cage he was in, but Ginger was more intrigued than anxious now.

"Gingerrr…" Raiga said softly, his tufted tail swishing back and forth.

"I think he likes you," Varrick said. "Hey, I'll double your money if you stick around the lab and help me teach him how to act on camera."

"…Okay." Ginger answered to Varrick's surprise.

"Really? Well alright!" Varrick took out another card and held it out. "What's this?"

"Rrriverr."

"No Raiga, it's clearly a stream." Varrick sighed and the beast-man growled with annoyance. "I'm gonna need more chick-bacon."

* * *

Over the course of the next week, Varrick and Ginger began teaching Raiga basic speech, as well as honing his dexterity. It took a while, but they managed to get him to sit down at a dining table. What took even longer was teaching him how to use utensils. Spoons were not too difficult, but chopsticks were another matter. One step at a time, Varrick said. It was frustrating work, but worth the extra pay.

"Uhg, he reeks," Ginger said as she pinched her nose. "Have you been bathing him?"

"Well I could try to hose him down again." Varrick said as he grabbed a leaky fire hose from the wall. Raiga hissed and hid behind Ginger, his hair standing on end and his tail puffing up.

"Let's try a bathtub instead…" Ginger muttered. Soon enough, the staff had dragged in a large metal tub and they filled it with water.

Raiga carefully approached with a little coaxing and dipped a finger into the water to test the temperature. It was lukewarm, but he was used to swimming in pond water anyway. The cat-boy trilled happily before hopping in the tub with his loincloth still on, submerging himself in the water and spilling it everywhere.

"I guess jungle cats really do like water," Varrick said as he picked up a bottle from the floor. "Alright, let's soap him up."

"Uh, no way," Ginger said as she crossed her arms and turned up her nose. "I'm not some nanny. Can't you get one of the staff to do it?"

"I would, but they're all too scared for some reason." Varrick replied while he shook the shampoo bottle.

"I need a break anyway." The actress began to walk towards the exit. Raiga saw her leaving and let out a long whine.

"Gingerrr, nnnoooo…" The cat-boy pleaded. Ginger looked back at him and his big, sparkly blue eyes.

"Uhhg, relax, I won't be gone long, just getting some lunch." Ginger said as she left. Raiga grumbled sadly as Varrick squirted some shampoo onto his shaggy head.

"Aw cheer up, Fuzzy," Varrick said as he lathered up the shampoo. "You know what girls like? Clean hair. I know from experience."

Meanwhile, Ginger made her way to the break room and fetched her box lunch from the fridge. Normally, she would have liked to have gone to a café, but the lab was a little too far from any. Besides, reporters had been getting a little too nosey lately, and she preferred her privacy. The actress had packed a simple noodle salad and poured some tea. She still preferred to be waited on, but it was not as though she could not take care of herself. Ginger was not born a mover star, after all.

Sitting down to eat, Ginger opened a newspaper that had been left on the table. As she stirred her food a bit with her chopsticks, Ginger spotted a column titled "The Equalist Fallout." The actress frowned as she skimmed it. The column was a retrospective of the Equalist movement from several years ago, from its modest beginnings to its violent end. A few Equalist cells were reported to still exist, but the organization had all but died after Amon's fall.

"Hmph, good riddance…" Ginger muttered. She sipped her tea as she looked down at an archived photo of one of the earliest Equalist rallies. It was a crowd of people standing in front of a speaker, with a banner of Amon in the back. The image was one Ginger was familiar with, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary… save for a leaf-shaped hat among the crowd…

Ginger nearly choked on her tea. She coughed a few times to make sure none of the warm liquid went down into her lungs. The actress took a long look at the picture again. Indeed, there was someone in the crowd wearing a leaf-shaped hat, but they had their back to the camera, their face turned away and the rest of their body obscured. She took a deep breath, sighed, and went back to her food. It was nothing to worry about. It was just history now…

Back in the observation room, Raiga emerged from beneath the water and took a gulp of air, the soap rinsing off of him. Varrick shielded himself as Raiga shook his shaggy head and sent water flying everywhere.

"Ladies also love a good haircut," The scientist said as he tossed Raiga a towel. "Don't worry, I know the best stylist in the city. Not Zhu Li good of course, but close enough."

As Raiga began to towel dry his air, Ginger entered back into the room, having finished her lunch.

"Varrick, you should really have a cafeteria for this place or-WAH!" Ginger caught a glimpse of Raiga's bare naked backside and covered her eyes, blushing furiously. "What happened to his loincloth!?"

"Came off in the wash I guess," Varrick said as he fished out the piece of fur from the tub. "Don't worry, he's pretty much human down there."

"Can we please get him some _real_ pants to wear already!?" Ginger asked.

"Can do, but not before he's all dry," Varrick said as he went to plug in a handheld hairdryer. "Raiga, come 'ere!" He turned on the hair dryer, the device whirring loudly. Raiga hissed and jumped away, dropping his towel and landing right in front of Ginger. The actress let out a squeal when she saw him and covered her face once more. She hopped around in fright as Varrick chased the cat boy around the room, causing a mess.

* * *

Raiga slipped his tail through the rear end of the new pair of sturdy blue pants and secured them around his waist with a light brown belt. He trilled as he moved his legs, testing them.

"Specially tailored just for you," Varrick said as he put away his needle and thread into a box. "Good thing I asked Zhu Li to teach me how to sew. Now you just need a shirt, some shoes, the whole shebang! Then you'll be ready to hit the town."

"We go town?" Raiga asked, his tail flicking back and forth.

"Not quite yet, but soon," Varrick reassured him and tossed Raiga a white tank top with a V-neck. "We've still got to work on your vocabulary, it's WILL we go TO town. Now, I think it's time we gave you a manicure. Those claws are a danger to all furniture-kind."

Raiga growled in disappointment. He had decided to stick around the lab because Varrick kept feeding him all sorts of delicious meats that he had never found in the forest. The cat-boy was starting to get tired of being cooped up though. The idea of a giant forest made of stone and metal made Raiga excited and curious. As soon as he learned what Varrick and Ginger were teaching him, then he could see it.

He picked up his lessons quickly. It was as though he was merely remembering how to ride a bicycle. Raiga's grammar improved, to the point that he could say what he meant with one simple sentence. Even still, he could not hold a conversation, and often became anxious and restless when he had to sit still and talk for too long. Nevertheless, Varrick was happy with their progress, and felt confident that Raiga would soon be presentable.

"Left, right, right, left," Ginger said as she moved her feet to the rhythm of the music. "Raiga, pay attention." The cat-boy was fascinated by the sounds coming from the record player, but he snapped to attention and began to mimic Ginger's dancing. "Alright, you're getting the hang of it. I bet Varrick wants us to do a musical number. Okay, together now."

Raiga tilted his head as Ginger took his right hand in her left. She placed his other hand on her waist and held onto his shoulder.

"One two three, one two three…" Ginger said softly as they moved across the smooth floor.

* * *

"Left, left, rrright, right, left, left." Raiga said as he concentrated on his feet, moving in sync with the actress to the beat.

"You've got it!" Ginger said in an uncharacteristically cheery tone. She looked up at Raiga and felt a shock when they locked eyes. The beast-man's eyes were still startling. The bright, saturated blue of his irises almost seemed to glow. They were unlike the calming, icy blue eyes common in the Water Tribes, much less Ginger's own dark grey. Framed by the rust-colored markings on his face and with the vertical slits of his pupils, it seemed to trigger a deep, primal fear in the actress.

That fear was kept in check by her innate human curiosity. How did Raiga come to exist, Ginger wondered? Was he born this way? Did something happen? She wanted to know.

"Raiga, what are you?" Ginger asked him. Raiga let out a low, soft growl, looking away as he thought.

"Don't know, don't remember," The beast-man answered sadly. He looked back up at Ginger and reached for her face. She let out a small gasp as he ran two fingers through her red hair. The actress blushed, and Raiga tilted his head curiously. "You… like me?"

"Uh, um, I…" Ginger became flustered as she pulled away. Raiga let out a soft whine. What kind of a question was that? She turned away to hide her embarrassed expression, and went to the record player to change the music track. "Let's just move on to the next dance. You're doing really well, Raiga, don't get distracted now…"

Raiga stared at Ginger forlornly a moment longer, then gave a shrug as he tapped his foot to the new tune. There was one more reason Raiga decided to stay and play along.

* * *

"Alright, try it one more time," Varrick said as he sat down in the arm chair. "The rice is nice with Fire Nation spice." To his right, Ginger lounged on the sofa, fanning herself with a gold-trimmed palm-leaf fan. In front of him sat Raiga on a stool. Raiga scratched his head and cleared his throat.

"The rrrice, is nice, with Firre… Nation… spice."

"Again."

"The rrice is nice with Fire, Nation, spice." Raiga repeated, his growl softer this time, but his voice louder and more confident.

"Again!"

"The rice is nice with Fire Nation spice!" Raiga stood up and shouted with perfect articulation, startling Ginger.

"What's nice?" Varrick asked as he pointed to Raiga.

"Rice!"

"And where's it from?!"

"The Fire Nation!"

"And why is it nice!?"

"Spice!"

"I think he's got it!" Varrick cheered as he pulled Ginger to her feet.

"Yeah, he's got it," Ginger said with irritation. "Are we done now?"

"Yep, I think we're done." Varrick said with a grin. "Raiga, you've gone from an unwashed, primitive animal to a civilized human being. It's time."

"Time to hit the town?" Raiga asked as his eyes lit up.

"You're gonna knock 'em dead, kid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter. If it's not obvious, this one is inspired by My Fair Lady. I know it isn't much for such a long time between chapters, but I've been busy, and I kind of wanted to get this out of the way. I don't know if I've written Ginger in character, but there's not much to go on from what little screen time was given. I might as well write her the way I want, and I have plans for making a backstory for her. Things are going to get more exciting in the next chapter, don't worry.
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments. Check out my Tumblr at captain-azoren.tumblr.com for oneshots, analysis, and other Azoren stuff if you're interested.


	4. Premiere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night of Raiga's big debut has finally arrived, but can the beast-man handle the pressure? And Ginger's past finally catches up to her.

"Soooo, what's this for again?" Korra asked, her arms crossed as she stood on the balcony overlooking the Pro-Bending arena. A stage had been set up on the central platform, and a crowd of scientists and journalists were gathered in front of it. It was mid-evening and Korra would have preferred a moonlit boat ride with her girlfriend.

"Varrick is supposed to unveil some kind of new scientific discovery," Asami replied, her arm linked with Korra's. "I'd heard he'd been up to something for the last month."

"And we're here because…?"

"Because I invited you!" Bolin chimed in, Pabu perched on his shoulder. "We never get to hang out anymore."

"That's because you have a real job now Bolin," Mako said as he walked in and leaned against the railing in his police uniform. "Part of being an adult."

"Mako! You got my invite?" Bolin asked with a smile.

"Well, yeah, but that's not why I'm here," The firebender replied. "I'm here to provide security."

"Why's that?"

"Because I don't trust Varrick," Came a voice. The group turned to see Chief Lin Beifong enter the balcony, looking as stern as ever. "Even if he's supposedly reformed, he brings trouble. Mako, how are things looking? Any idea what Varrick is up to?"

"I wasn't able to get backstage," Mako answered as he straightened his posture and gave a salute to his superior. "I thought Varrick would be a little more open since he knows me, but he's being really tight-lipped."

"Well stay sharp, all of you," Lin said. She gave Korra a nod. "It's good to see you here Korra. If something does go wrong, I'll feel better having you on the scene."

"Nice to see you too, Chief," Korra replied with a smirk. "Don't be so paranoid. It's probably something dumb, like portable music players."

"We'll see…"

Varrick peeked through the curtain at the audience he had invited to the unveiling. He spotted Korra and her friends on the balcony. His wife, President Zhu Li Moon, was seated on the opposite side of the stadium. He was giddy with excitement. Not even his own wife knew what he was about to reveal.

"Alright, you two ready for this?" Varrick asked as he turned to Ginger and Raiga.

"Yes, let's get on with it already," Ginger whispered. "I don't think the crowd can stand another minute of waiting, and neither can Raiga." She turned to see the beast-man pacing and fidgeting, his tail swishing. He ran his claws through his unnaturally honey-colored hair, having been cropped short but still just as messy. Varrick gave them a nod.

"Okay, places people!" Varrick clapped his hands. The stagehands got into their positions. Ginger led Raiga to the metal cage that was hidden by the curtain and closed the door. Varrick stepped past the curtains and out on stage. He approached the microphone and cleared his throat. The crowd went silent.

"Ladies and gentlemen, fellow scientists, welcome!" Varrick greeted. "I'm glad you all came. Now, I'm sure you're all wondering why you're here and what this is about, but first, some backstory. Lights!" The overhead lights were shut off as a mover screen was lowered from the ceiling. A projector lit it up and Korra let out a groan.

"It's another one of his awful movers, isn't it?" The Avatar asked as she slumped her shoulders. She glanced at Bolin, who gave a hurt expression. "Oh, but I _loved_ Nuktuk! Even if it got my culture all wrong…"

The mover screen showed thick forests and mountains outside of Republic City and Varrick's camera crew trekking down a trail.

"Not too long ago, I started filming for my next big mover, _Ginger: Warrior Princess_ ," Varrick spoke, and the clip changed to a shot of Ginger in her costume as she ran through the woods and stood upon the top of craggy rock. "I wanted to capture the majesty of the natural world, all authentic, no sets! But that's when we ran into _this…"_

The film cut to the shot of Ginger in the forest as she screamed. The sounds of carnage were heard from the speakers, and the audience gasped when a large gorilla-goat came charging into the frame, only to be halted by a hairy, half-naked man with a tail and stripes. The audience murmured as they watched the battle between the creatures, the sound of their roars shaking the metal rafters. Varrick was so grateful the sound had been recording.

The battle ended, and the clip paused on a shot of the young man as he stood in front of the camera. "This is Raiga," Varrick said. "Part human and part animal. As you can see, he possesses abilities which normal humans lack." The film continued, showing clips of Raiga at the test center, bending metal bars with his bare hands, running down the airstrip, and lifting heavy objects. The audience was unsure if what they were seeing was real or just mover magic.

"He's as fast as an ostrich horse and as strong as a gorilla-goat," Varrick began to smirk. He could tell they doubted him. "Don't believe me? Then see for yourselves." The lights came back on and he gestured to the curtains. The curtains were raised to reveal Raiga inside his metal cage, dressed in the loincloth they found him in. Ginger stood by, striking a confident pose.

The voices began to rise, and the photographers started taking pictures. Raiga's eyes grew wide as he stared out at the audience past the bars. He had not really known what to expect, and for a moment he was paralyzed by so many people staring at him at once. He felt so exposed.

Ginger leaned over to Raiga and whispered. "Don't get stage fright now. Just do like we practiced."

Raiga nodded and stepped up to the bars. He grabbed them, and with a squeal of bending metal, he pulled them apart and stepped out onto the stage. The reporters' camera flashed as their murmur grew into a dull roar. Raiga squinted through the flashes but managed to keep his calm.

"Oh, come on, how do we know he isn't just a metal bender?" Mako asked incredulously. "This has to be a hoax."

"Some of you are probably thinking this is some kind of hoax!" Varrick said. "But I can assure you, this is all real, and I'll prove it!" He clapped, and from backstage, a stagehand rolled out a massive block of wood, the rough texture on the surface apparent. "Raiga, would you please let the people have a closer look?" Varrick gave Raiga a knowing wink, and Raiga nodded.

The beast-man walked over to the block of wood and raised his hands. Those in the front row blinked with shock as they saw long, pale claws extend from each of Raiga's fingertips. He slapped the sides of the block and embedded each claw into it before hefting the heavy object and carrying it over like it was little more than some heavy luggage. He set it down with a loud thud and pulled his claws out, leaving visible gashes on the surface.

"This is one cubic meter of top-grade ironwood. Now then, Ginger, pass me my instrument of destruction! Hammer!" Varrick held out his hand, and the actress placed a sledgehammer into it. He raised it high and slammed it into the front side of the block. A loud crack rang through the stadium, but the wood held its shape.

"Axe!" Ginger handed Varrick a chopping axe. He raised it and swung down, only for the axe to bounce off with a dented blade. Varrick showed it off for the audience to see. "As you can see, this wood is very strong, very solid, very real, and most importantly, very un-bendable," Varrick said as he placed the busted axe on the ground. "Raiga, would please make us some stools to sit on?"

Raiga grinned as he stepped towards the block of wood once more and cracked his knuckles. Varrick and Ginger both stood back as the beast-man raised his claws and swiped down into the grain of the wood, embedding them. He grunted as he pulled. There was the sound of splinters breaking, then a loud snap. The audience gasped as the block was ripped in half down the middle.

"Hmph," Mako shrugged. "It was probably just glued together."

"I think this is real…" Asami said softly.

"How though?" Bolin asked as he squinted down at the stage. "I've never seen anything like it, except for maybe…"

"Tokuga," Korra whispered as she clenched Asami's hand. Her mind replayed the memory of the phoenix- eel spirit passing through the body of the former leader of the Triple Threat Triad. She remembered how it had twisted and deformed Tokuga into something inhuman, and yet had also given him the power to rival any form of bending. No one had seen Tokuga for quite some time. This Raiga person was different though. He was not a twisted, asymmetrical abomination like what Tokuga had become. Raiga seemed… _whole._

"Raiga, why don't you go change into something a little more decent," Varrick said as he took a seat on one of the wooden halves, microphone in hand. The curtains began to close and Raiga walked behind them, giving the audience a better look at his tail as he flicked its tufted end. "Now, you may be wondering what exactly Raiga is. Well, I believe he is a fusion between human and spirit!"

"That would make the most sense," Asami murmured. "but-"

"But he doesn't look like a hideous monstrosity, you may be saying!" Varrick continued. "Yes, there have been scattered reports over the centuries of spirits passing through or possessing humans, often mutating them into strange, deformed monsters. However, I'm sure you're all aware of the Moon Spirit, Yue. The princess of the Northern Water Tribe, who during the One Hundred Year War was given life by Tui. Yue returned that life to Tui when the spirit was attacked in the Siege of the North. The Moon Spirit did not pass through Princess Yue, but bonded with her."

"Not just Yue," Korra whispered. "but Raava and Wan too…"

"That's just my theory," Varrick said with a shrug as the reporters scribbled on their note pads. "Anyway, more clips!" The lights shut off once more and the screen lowered. The projector showed footage of Varrick holding up flashcards to Raiga. "When we found Raiga, he could barely speak, but after just a few short weeks, he can hold a conversation! Barely," The film cut to Raiga learning to use silverware at a dinner table. "He was an unkempt, unwashed animal, but we taught him to speak, to read, and table manners…"

"Uh, where's he going with this?" Bolin whispered curiously. The curtains began to rise as Varrick stood back up.

"And now that he's been civilized, he's ready to co-star in my next big mover! I present to you now a man of sophistication and culture! Say hello to the _new_ Raiga!"

The curtains were drawn, and a spotlight was shone on Raiga as he stepped back out onto the stage, dressed in a black formal suit. His hair was gelled and slicked back, and he wore well-polished black shoes over his clawed feet.

"Rrr. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." Raiga said, keeping his growl to a minimum. He fidgeted uncomfortably as he came to stand next to Ginger and Varrick, the suit feeling a tad constricting. A flurry of flashes went off as the press took more pictures.

"He's replacing Nuktuk, isn't he?" Bolin asked sadly, shoulders slumping. Pabu licked his cheek sympathetically.

"Don't be shy folks, come on up!" Varrick said as he gestured to the stairs. The reporters climbed up onto the stage and surrounded the three of them, each vying to get an angle. Camera bulbs flashed all around them as the voices swelled, all trying to get their questions answered.

"Where else will you be filming?" Asked a short reporter in glasses.

"I'm gonna film at _all_ the famous landmarks around the world," Varrick said with a smirk. "The Foggy Swamp, the Great Divide, the Si Wong Desert, all the way to the North Pole."

"Isn't using Raiga for your mover exploitative?" Another reporter asked.

"Not at all!" Varrick replied. "I assure you, Raiga is acting of his own free will.

"Varrick, what does Raiga eat?"

"Could there be others like him?"

"Is he dangerous?"

"He eats anything edible, there very well could be, and he is as gentle as a koala-lamb," Varrick answered as he patted Raiga on the back, but it only served to further irritate the beast-man.

"Ginger, Ginger!" A particularly nosey reporter from the Urban Times waved to the actress. "You haven't been in the spotlight for some time, is this because of rumors that you were once involved with the Equalists?"

Ginger's eyes went wide with shock and her mouth hung agape. "I, I-uh…" She tried to find the words but was quickly overwhelmed as even more cameras flashed around her.

"How do you feel about being sidelined in what was supposed to be your big comeback? Upset?" He pressed on. "Are you relieved that some of the attention will be off of you?"

"Hey, I didn't invite you!" Varrick shouted. He did not need a tabloid stirring up trouble. "Security!" It was already too late, as now the rest of the crowd began to ask and shout about the juicy little tidbit that was dropped.

"Wait, _Ginger,_ an Equalist?" Korra scoffed. "She's not even an activist. Then again…"

Ginger's fears had been realized. She was a fool for thinking it would blow over in time. The flashing lights were blinding as they continued to surround her, disorienting her. There was no escape. Ginger felt herself becoming light-headed, heart pounding as she panicked. She was going to faint until suddenly, there was a snarl and cries of shock.

The actress felt a strong arm around her shoulders, steadying her. Her vision came back and saw the reporters were all backing away in fright. Ginger looked to the one who was holding her and realized it was Raiga, baring his white fangs, hair bristling, eyes lit with anger. Raiga let out a low, threatening growl at the reporters, making it clear to the reporters to back off. They obliged.

"Settle down people, settle down!" Varrick tried to intervene. "Give the mover stars some space."

"Hey!" Came Lin's voice from above. She swung down on a cable along with two other officers, landing on the central platform. "I suggest you control yourself, Raiga. Keep him in line, Varrick." The chief did not like this. Dealing with the spirits was bad enough, she didn't need another animal running amok.

"I better get down there," Mako said as he made for the balcony's exit.

"Everything is fine here Chief, I promise," Varrick responded as confidently as he could, though he was beginning to sweat. "Raiga's just, uh, very protective of his costar! He and Ginger really bonded, a true beauty and the beast story!"

Ginger rolled her eyes at Varrick. The nerve of him, implying there was some kind of romance between her and Raiga off-set. The reporters ate it up though, and the chatter and flash photos all started back up again. Raiga growled, having had enough. He spotted the closest photographer in front of him, one that was just a little too daring. With one quick swipe, Raiga knocked the camera out of the photographer's hands, smashing it against the floor. Everyone scurried back in fright once again.

"That's it," Lin said as she sent a steel cable out, wrapping it around Raiga's wrist. Whatever sense of calm was left ad been dashed. "This press conference is over."

"Chief, stop, you're just making him angry!" Varrick protested, but it was too little too late. Raiga roared as he pulled against the cable, almost yanking Lin off her feet, but she stood her ground. The reporters all fled to a safe distance to take more photos as the other metalbending officers snared Raiga's other limbs with their own cables.

Raiga was forced to let go of Ginger, who stumbled away from him. She stared in shock as Lin and the officers fought against Raiga. The beast-man bared his fangs as he struggled against the restraints. He growled as he flexed his arms, the fine fabric of his jacket ripping at the seams where his muscles bulged. With a mighty roar, Raiga grabbed the cables in his hands and pulled. Lin and her officers were finally yanked off-balance, and their cables went limp long enough for Raiga to slip free.

"Raiga?" Ginger asked as the beast-man approached her. His face was contorted with annoyance as he ripped his jacket off, leaving only his shredded shirt. Without a word, Raiga slung Ginger over his shoulder and ran for the exit. " _Raiga stop!"_

"After him!" Lin shouted as she got to her feet and began to chase.

"We better go too," Korra said with a glance at Asami and Bolin. "Come on."

Even while carrying Ginger, Raiga was as fast as ever on foot. As he ran with her towards the exit, the reedy form of Mako stepped in the way. The firebender took a stance and was preparing to strike, but hesitated when he saw that the beast-man had taken a hostage. Raiga grunted as he jumped right over Mako's head. Mako leaned backward to barely avoid getting a knee to the face. Instead, Raiga's tail smacked Mako in the nose. The firebender grimaced and sneezed as he stumbled back. He quickly righted himself and turned around to see Raiga kick the large doors open. The beast-man ran outside and onto the bridge leading to the main city, taking Ginger with him into the cool evening air.

"Tch, I could have had him." Mako cursed as Korra, Lin, Bolin, and Asami gathered near him. "He's going to the city. If we don't hurry, we'll lose them."

"I'll put the word out," Lin said. "The rest of you, try to catch up with him. With how strong that thing is, this might just be a job for the Avatar."

"We're on it," Korra nodded to the chief. She squinted at Mako's face and pinched a bit of fur Raiga had left on his nose. "Naga can sniff him out with this. Let's go."

"So, you still think this is fake?" Bolin asked as he ran alongside his brother.

"Just focus Bolin," Mako replied. "As long as he's got Ginger, this is going to be difficult."

They each exited outside and mounted their modes of transport. Mako revved up his motorcycle while Bolin and Pabu joined Asami in her car. Naga was waiting patiently, her ears perking as Korra held up the strands of fur to her nose.

"We need to find this," Korra whispered as she climbed onto the polar bear dog. Naga sniffed the air and gave a bark as she galloped off after Raiga and Ginger. The rest followed suit behind. They could see Raiga ahead of them, already a small figure in the distance as he reached the outer city blocks.

Raiga glanced back and forth along the street. Satomobiles drove by, and the sight of the beast-man carrying a beautiful actress began to catch the eyes of the city folk.

"Raiga, please just put me down, okay?" Ginger asked as she squirmed to get into a more comfortable position. "We're far away from all those awful cameras. Let's just find a quiet little spot and wait for Varrick." Raiga was barely listening though. He was still in flight mode. Looking towards the nearest building, a storefront, Raiga squatted low and launched himself for it. "Aaaahhhh, not agaaaaiin!" Ginger wailed as she clamped her arms around Raiga's neck, holding on for her life.

They rose several meters in the air. Ginger braced for impact, but they landed on the roof rather gently. Ginger had only a moment of relief before Raiga jumped again, carrying her to a higher rooftop, then another, until they were a dozen stories high. This was the worst day of Ginger's career…

At street level, Korra and her friends followed the scent trail left by Raiga. Naga had an impeccable sense of smell and was not easily eluded. The polar bear dog came to a stop by an apartment complex. She pointed her nose to the sky, sniffed the air, and gave a bark.

"They're up there?" Korra asked. Naga whined in confirmation. She wished she could have carried Korra up the building, but polar bear dogs were ill-equipped for climbing, especially when it came to tall buildings. Mako, Asami, and Bolin pulled up and parked nearby. "Guys, on top of the building," Korra said as she pointed up.

"That's pretty high up," Asami said as she squinted. "Should I call in some planes?"

"Let's not resort to that just yet," Korra answered. "It's still just one guy. We can handle him." The Avatar patted Naga's head before they went into the building and took the elevator to the top floor. It was a long way to go as they all spent a tense moment of awkward silence.

"So, Bolin," Asami began to say. "Didn't you and Ginger used to date?"

"Uhhh, kinda sorta," Bolin said uneasily. "Things just didn't really work out, you know?"

"Didn't she only date you because you saved the president, and then dumped you once you stopped being a mover star?" Mako chimed in.

"H-Hey, it was more complicated than that. Come on Mako…" The earthbender blushed in embarrassment.

"Yeah, I seem to remember you trying to get back with my cousin," Korra said with a smirk.

"Look, all that matters now is that I'm in a very happy relationship with Opal," Bolin said defiantly. "And right now, I am motivated to save Ginger for _purely_ altruistic reasons."

"…no one's questioning your motives, Bolin," Mako responded.

"I hope Ginger's alright," Asami said with concern. "Who knows what awful things he might do to her…"

On the roof of the building, Raiga finally set Ginger down underneath a water tower. She fell to her knees and gasped for air, trying to calm herself after flying from one rooftop to another. She took a deep breath as she placed her hand over her chest and calmed herself. Raiga crouched down next to her and gently placed a hand on her head, threading his clawed fingers through her crimson hair.

"You arrre safe," Raiga said simply. Ginger looked to him, feeling at once both distressed and yet sympathetic. The actress huffed as she pulled her knees to her chest. Ginger could not be mad at Raiga. There was many a time when she had wished a big strong man would whisk her away from all her troubles. If only things were that simple. Ginger looked out over the skyline and towards the bay where the sun was beginning to set.

"Thanks, Raiga," Ginger mumbled. The beast-man twitched an ear and tilted his head. "I wish some people could just leave well enough alone…" Raiga let out a low trill and moved in closer. Ginger watched him nervously as Raiga closed his eyes. She grimaced and shut her eyes as she expected the worst, but all she felt was his forehead nuzzle up against her hair.

"Like me… like you," Raiga purred, making Ginger blush as red as her hair. "I will protect you..." Ginger felt both stunned and exasperated. Why did she always have to be such a heart breaker? Her thoughts were interrupted when the clink of metal was heard. Raiga let out a low growl as he stood up and turned towards the sound. The door to the stairwell opened, and out came Korra and her crew.

"Step away from her and come quietly!" Korra called out as she and the others took a stance. Mako and Bolin flanked her while Asami took the rear and activated her stun glove. Raiga's fur bristled at the sight of them. He did not back down and only responded by removing his shoes, kicking them off to the side.

"Uh, what's he doing?" Bolin whispered in confusion as he bent up a loose brick and readied it. The beast-man then crouched low as his foot claws extended, ripping through his socks and digging into the stone roof.

"I think he's refusing to cooperate," Asami answered grimly. Each of the claws on Raiga's fingertips extended slowly. His tail flicked, and he bared his fangs. Behind him, Ginger stood up and reached out.

"Raiga, no, they're not going to hurt us," The actress pleaded. "Just let me go with them, I'll be okay." Raiga stood his ground. He did not trust these four. They smelled like danger.

"It's your call, Korra," Mako whispered. "What do we do?" Korra frowned as she examined the situation. Growing up in the Southern Water Tribe, Korra was familiar with animal behavior, especially large carnivores. This beast-man could have been defending his kin, or he could be defending his kill. Either way, Korra knew they were not going to reason with him, and whatever Raiga's intentions were, he was still unpredictable and a danger to everyone while he was loose. A cornered animal showed no mercy. Korra noticed the water tower and came up with a plan.

"We need to act. I have an idea. Cover me." Korra said, and the rest nodded. Korra shifted her stance low, her eyes locked with Raiga's. The air was unbearably thick with tension. As slowly as she could, Korra reached out with her bending towards the water in the tower and the metal pipes. She had to do this carefully, or else she risked knocking them all off the roof.

Raiga glared at Korra suspiciously as the Avatar began to move her arms, extending them with palms facing out, hands cupped as if she was reaching. The beast-man growled, but Korra stayed calm. Bolin, Mako, and Asami quickly picked up what Korra had in mind and readied themselves. Ginger stared at Korra, wondering what she was doing. Behind her, the actress heard the squeel of bending metal, and she turned around just in time to see one of the water tower's pipes twist.

"Ah!" Ginger gasped as she backed away from the tower in fright.

"Ginger, stand still!" Korra shouted. Ginger froze in place, and Raiga snarled at Korra. That set him off. Raiga lunged at the Avatar, but Bolin was there to stop him. The earthbender stomped his foot and popped up a slab of the rooftop, blocking the beast-man. Raiga growled and tried to go over. Bolin pelted him with a brick, but it did little to faze him. Raiga made for another lunge, but this time he jumped away as Mako shot a flame at his feet. Raiga hissed angrily at the fire, his hair and fur standing on end as he glared at Mako with hatred.

Korra had to act while she still had the chance. She loosened the water pipe and a stream of water sprayed forth from the opening. Ginger shrieked when some of it splashed her head and knocked her over, but Korra quickly switched to her waterbending and focused the stream at Raiga. It struck him, and Raiga roared as the liquid soaked him. Korra quickly clenched her fists and froze the water around the beast-man, encasing him in a thick layer of ice up to his neck. Raiga thrashed his head from side to side, snarling and hissing at his entrapment. Korra let out a sigh of relief as she relaxed and resealed the pipe.

"Ginger, are you alright?" Asami asked as she rushed over. The actress coughed and spat a strand of wet hair out of her mouth. Asami reached down to help her up.

"I'll be fine…" Ginger answered miserably. She looked over at Raiga stuck in the ice. He stopped thrashing a moment to look back at her, and what he saw filled the beast man with shock and anger. Streaks of crimson red poured down from Ginger's scalp and over her face. She was wounded, and now they were going to finish her! Raiga grit his teeth and sucked in his breath. He flexed with all his might against the ice, clenching his eyes shut, growling with effort.

"Korra!" Mako warned as he noticed Raiga's attempt at escape. Raiga opened his jaws wide and let out a roar, one so loud it reverberated against all the surrounding glass windows.

" _ **GINGEEEERRRRR!**_ " Raiga shouted. Everyone could feel the sound waves pass through their bodies, and groaned in pain as they covered their ears. Korra looked up to see the ice crack and then shatter as Raiga freed himself. She raised a hand to send out a gust of wind at him, but Raiga was too swift. He rammed Korra aside with his shoulder, knocking her clear off the roof. The Avatar flailed through the air a moment before righting herself and slowing her fall with another strong gust before landing on a lower rooftop below.

Bolin yelped as Raiga grabbed him by the shirt, his claws cutting through the fabric. "Come on, I just got this steamed!" Bolin complained before Raiga tossed him against the water tower's supports. Mako thrust his leg out at Raiga to shoot a jet of fire, but the beast-man weaved to the side and wrapped his arm around Mako's leg. The firebender winced as Raiga's claws pricked and raked against his flesh. He tried to throw a fiery chop with his free hand, but Raiga caught Mako's arm. They were face to face, and Mako struggled to break free, but Raiga was too strong. Raiga opened his mouth and aimed for the neck.

"No!" Asami cried out as she dashed at Raiga, arm extended. She touched Raiga's shoulder with her electrified glove. The beast-man snarled as the current flowed through his body, stopping him from landing a bite on Mako, but he refused to let go. Raiga turned to Asami, eyes bright with fury. He swung Mako's body into her, knocking them both to the ground. They were stunned and had only a moment to see Raiga running towards them, claws extended. Mako raised a hand to shield them, but could not act fast enough until-

"Raiga, STOP!" Ginger shouted as she put herself between the beast-man and his would-be victims, arms spread wide. Raiga halted in his tracks and stared at Ginger, panting from the adrenaline. It took all of Ginger's acting skills to give Raiga a stern glare and not collapse in terror. "Raiga, you're being very BAD, now _STOP! IT!"_

Raiga blinked at Ginger in confusion. She had never spoken to him so harshly before. It took him a moment, but he soon realized that Ginger was not hurt at all. He leaned forward and sniffed. There was no scent of blood, but the strange, unnatural smell that was usually on her had faded. Squinting, Raiga examined her hair. It seemed to be chocolate brown now, no longer bright crimson. The streaks on her face were pouring from her hair, not her flesh.

"You, like me…?" Raiga asked sadly. Ginger stared back at Raiga, confused, but she needed to say something.

"Raiga, yes, I like you," Ginger replied. "And I need you to stop fighting." Raiga just frowned as he held up a hand to reach out for Ginger, but then pulled away.

"But, you… _are not,_ like me…" The beast-man growled solemnly and turned away. He walked over to the edge of the roof and looked out at the sunset. Korra rejoined her friends, ready to return to the fight, but was surprised to see the battle had seemingly come to an end. Without another word, Raiga leaped off the roof and to the building across the street.

"Where's he going?" Bolin asked as he got to his feet, watching Raiga disappear into the city skyline.

"I don't know." Ginger replied, contemplating what had just transgressed.

"What made him stop?" Korra asked as she approached. "He looked like he was ready to kill."

"Ginger stopped him," Asami answered and Mako helped her to her feet. "Maybe he's not as dangerous as we thought."

"If he's still in the city, then he's still a problem," Mako responded. "The police will keep searching for him."

"If he's gone into the spirit wilds, then you won't find him that easily," Ginger said, her words hardened by fatigue. "Now if you don't mind, I think I'd like to go home now. I'm tired." The others watched as the actress walked over to the stairwell to head back down to street level. They followed after, and once they were back on the street, they were greeted by the sight of Varrick's satomobile driving up to them. It parked on the curb and Varrick hastily got out.

"Ginger, is your face okay?" Varrick asked, his appearance a disheveled mess. "What happened to your hair? Did you get Raiga?"

"Uhg, it just got a little washed out," Ginger answered irritably. "And no, we didn't get him. Raiga's still out there… I'm getting a cab," The actress hailed a passing taxi over. "Give me a call if you find Raiga." The taxi pulled up to her and the actress got in. She was thankful the cash she kept stowed away on her had not gotten soaked. Ginger told the driver where her apartment was and they were off. She pinched a strand of her damp hair, now back to a more natural color. Red was her signature look ever since she met Varrick, and these days Varri-dye was widely used around the world. While dark-copper hair was not unheard of in some places like Kyoshi Island, Ginger's saturated red tone had been described as supernatural. It finally dawned on her why Raiga had become so attached. She could feel her heart sink.

Korra and Varrick watched Ginger leave before turning to each other. "Well, looks like I'm in hot water again," Varrick sighed as he shook his head. "I'm dreading seeing Zhu Li tonight, I can tell you that."

"No offense Varrick, but what were you thinking?!" Korra asked. "At what point did any of this seem like a good idea?"

"I was _thinking_ that Raiga deserved better than living in the woods like an animal," Varrick retorted. "I mean, I know I put him in a cage, but that was for observation, it's not like it could actually stop him…"

"Whatever," Korra interrupted as she walked up to Varrick and firmly placed her finger on his chest. "If Raiga ends up hurting anyone, I'm holding you personally responsible, got it?"

"Got it," Varrick replied submissively. "We had better find him soon then, for all our sakes…"

As the sun sank below the horizon, Raiga swung through the vines and the branches of the spirit wilds that had overgrown part of the city. He landed on the windowsill of an abandoned apartment and turned to look at the column of light in the center of the forest, where the spirit portal was located. Raiga took a deep breath as he listened to the sounds of the people off in the distance, and the murmurs of the spirits in the surrounding trees. He entered through the window to find a place to rest. This was only the start of the next stage of his survival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since my last chapter. Sorry about that, but I had other things I wanted to focus on, including ideas for an original story and setting. A lot has happened. I'm also currently seeking employment. I'd love to write for a living, so if you'd like to help support me, visit my tumblr at captain-azoren.tumblr.com It would mean a lot. I may start doing commission drabbles.
> 
> I was glad to finally get past the setup and finally get to some more action. I wanted this chapter to be reminiscent of both King Kong and Young Frankenstein, and I think I pulled it off. Next chapter will have the action scenes I've really been looking forward to writing. See you next time.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and comments. Check out my Tumblr at captain-azoren.tumblr.com for oneshots, analysis, and other Azoren stuff if you're interested.


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